Slip clutch for vending machines



Nev. 10, 1931. G. E. NORRlS SLIP CLUTCH FOR VENDING MACHINES 2Sheets-Shee t v 1 Filed Dec.

gwue'ntoz 7962? 117677715 Nov. 10, 1931. G. E. NORRIS SLIP CLUTCH FORVENDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Nov. 1 0, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. NORRIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO SLIPCLUTCH FOR VENDING MACHFNES Application. filed December 1, 1928.

This invention relates to'improvements in vending machines and hasparticular refer-c l sure set forth in my prior application filed March14:, 1928, Serial No. 261,202, now Patent No. 1,7 7 8,833 forimprovements in vending machines.

Coin controlled vending machines are sub- 15 ject to very considerableabuse when in service. The actuating elements are operated frequentlywith excessive muscularstrength and in many instances aresurreptitiously operated through the use of pliers, wrenches,

or other tools, all of which results frequently in the placing ofabnormal strains and stresses upon the operating parts of the vendingmachine, resulting either in the mechanical break-down of such parts, inthe forcing of the machine so as to permit of the uncontrolled orunauthorized discharge of its contents or a part thereof, or otherdamage or undesired operation of the machine.

To avoid and correct these conditions, among others, it .is the objectof the present invention to provide an improved clutch or automaticrelease means whereby when a certain degree of pressure is applied tothe actuating elements of the vending machine, above that normallyrequired to successfully operatethe machine under proper conditions, thesaid actuating elements are mechanically released or disconnected fromthe elements of the machine which are used to effect the release of thecontents or merchandise contained within the machine, thereby preventingdamage to the working parts of the machine or the forcing of suchworking parts to an extent whereby unauthorized release of themerchandisable contents of the machine is secured.

It is another object of the invention to pro-- vide a simple andeffective form of clutch in a vending machine which is situated betweena manually operated handle, or crank and a Serial No. 323,170.

rotatable discharge device,the construction of the clutch being suchthat under normal conditions the operating handle or crank and thedischarge device rotate in unison but when excessive pressures or forcesare applied to the operating handle or crank the clutch member isfrictionally released so as to maintain the discharge device in astationary position and to prevent injury to the locking mechanism whichnormallyco-operates with the discharge device to hold the latter in anormal position of operation l/Vith these and other objects in viewwhich will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe novel features of construction, combinations of elements andarrangementsof parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed outin the appended claims In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine formed in accordancewith the present invention,

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken through the machinedisclosing more particularly the merchandise receiving compartments andthe rotatable discharge devices situated in the lower portions of eachof the compartments,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through thevending machine, disclosing the rotatable discharge device anditsoperating handle together with com controlled means for regulating therotation of the discharge device,

Figure', l is a detailed vertical sectional view disclosing moreparticularly the clutch mechanism comprising the present invention andillustrating the position of said mecha nism in connection with theoperating handle, of one of said discharge devices,

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4, Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 6-6 of Figure l, i

Figure 7 is a detailed view in rear elevation of the crank controlledlocking mechanism for normally holding the discharge devices againstrotation.

Referring more particularly to the draw- 100 ings, the vending machineillustrated therein comprises a casing 1. In the particular form of theinvention here disclosed the easing is of box-like form and includes afront 2 wall 2 provided with a transparent panel 3 through which thecontents of the machine may be viewed.

Arranged within the casing 1 1s a frame structure 4: which supports aplurality of vertically disposed transversely extending walls,

received. It will be understood that the mer chandise may be of anysuitable character, such as articles of confection, wearing apparel,tobacco or any other suitable commodity. I prefer to use the cylindricalcontainers which are formed from cardboard ordinarily, since suchcontainers simplify and improve theconstruction and operation of thedispensing or vending mechanism proper and possesses other advantagesover the ordinary rectangular boxes or packages.

The containers are grouped in vertical order oneabove the other withinthe several compartments. Any suitable number of the containers aredisposed within each compartment and as the containers are dispensed bythe operation of the machine, they gravitate toward the bottom of thecompartments 5, providing for gravitation feed towarddischargingpositions which is both simple and positive. The panel3'permits the containers within each compartment to be viewed. andenables the purchaser to note when any particular compartment isexhausted of its contents. V

Arranged within the bottom of each compartment is a revolving holder ordischarge device 7 Each of these holders, as shown in Figure 2, is ofsemi-circular form in vertical cross-section and of the diameterconformable to that of the container 6 which it dis-' penses. Thelowermost container is received within the holder or discharge deviceand the trough may be rotated about its longitudinal axis to effect thedischarge of such container.

Preferably, each of the holders is of cast .metal construction and inaddition to its semicircular body part, each holder embodies asubstantially circular or disk shaped front' and rear end walls 8 and 9respectively. These walls are provided with axial ournal- .ingextensions which are received within aligned bearings provided iii thefront wall 2 and the frame structure 4, so that each holder will bemounted for rotary or oscillatory motion, since the movement thereof: inany one direction is less than 360' degrees.

Each trough or holder is provided, as shown "inFigure 2, with a lug 10,which is adapted to engage with a stationary finger 11, project ingdownwardly from one of the compartment walls 5, and means are providedfor normally retaining the lug 10 in engagement with the finger 11, asindicated in Figures 2 and 3. When in this position it will be seen thatthe containers 6 gravitate freely into and toward the holder 7 so thatwhen the latter are rotated said containers will be removed from thecompartments 5 and deposited into the discharge chamber 12, provided atthe bottom of thecasing 1 and below the holder 7.

The rear Wall 9 of each holder is provided with a journaling stud 13which is received within a bearing provided in the frame structure a,and the outer end of the stud terminates in an enlarged head 14 withwhich cooperates mechanism of a coin controlled: nature for admitting ofrotation on: the part of said holders but which mechanism normallyrestrains the holders against rotation. For

purposes of disclosing the present invention 1t is deemed unnecessary todescribe specifically the complete construction and operation of thismechanism, since the latter forms the basis of my aforesaid application.and has been set forth in detail therein. Generally, it may be statedthat the head la is formed with fl'at surfaces 15, with which. engagelooking fingers 16 which are pivotally mounted as 17 on the framestructure 4:. Normally, these locking fingers occupy fixed positions incloseengagement with the surfaces 15,. and

for this reason rotary'movement of the holders is: precluded until thefingers 16 are released which isaccomplished. by the'insertion of a coininto the machine. To require full rotary movement of the holders uponeach operation the head 14 is also provided with ratchet teeth 18 withwhich engage a pivot-ed spring held detent 19-, also carried by theframe structure 4 adjacent to the head-.14. The outer end of the stud 13carries a coil spring 20, one end of which. is secured to the stud 13-while the other end engages with a bracket 21 carried by the framestructure 4. The normal office of this spring is to. maintain theholders in the positions illustrated in Figure 2','with the lugs 10thereof in engageits outer end provided with an enlarged fin-' gerengaging web 24. It is preferable to provideth-is web with an arrowtoindicate the direction in which the device should be turned to operatethe machine.

The front wall 8 of each holder: is formed ings 27 which are of suchdiameter as to partially receive a ball 28 received within a transversebore 29 formed in the inner end of the stem 23, the ball 28 beingpressed outwardly into engagement with the inner wall of the sleeve 25by means of a spring 30, the

latter being confined within the bore 29 be-- tween the inner portionthereof and the ball 28.

It will be seen that when a holder has been released by the coincontrolled mechanism associated therewith, the saidholder may be rotatedby manually revolving the handle 22, and having normally sufficientfrictional power exercised by the clutch mechanism to accomplish thisoperation. However, in the event that the holders are in a lockedposition and one endeavors to force the rotation thereof by theapplication of abnormal pressures or forces applied to the operatinghandles the clutch mechanism will slip, since the ball 28 will bewithdrawn into the tubular confines of the sleeve 25 and removed fromthe openings 27 It will be manifest therefore, that this releaseprevents excessive strains and stresses from being imparted to thelocking mechanism or to the holders'per se with the result that the lifeand usefulness of the machine is very greatly prolonged and repairs arereduced to a minimum. It will be noted that the clutch mechanism iscompletely inclosed so that it cannot be reached from the exterior ofthe machine. Outward removal of the stem 23 from the sleeve 25 isprevented by providing said stem with an annular groove 31 in which isreceived a pin 32 carried by the sleeve 25. It will be seen that thepresent invention provides a simple and efficient protective featureparticularly adapted for use in connection with coin controlled vendingmachines whereby through the use of which the operating efficiency andlife of such machines are very materially improved.

lVhile I have described what I consider to V be the preferred form ofthe invention, nevertheless it will be understood that various formedupon the other of said elements and provided with a radially disposedbore ar-v ranged normally in alignment with said openings, a springpressed member within said latter bore having a portion thereofextending into one of said openings and in yielding engagementtherewith, said member serving to connect said hub with said extensionfor rotation therewith and acting as a release therefor upon unduerotaLive strain imparted to one of said elements, a groove and pinconnection between the hub and said extension for preventinglongitudinal separation of the latter with respect to said hub, and abearing for receiving said hub having a length substantially equal tothat of the hub and serving as a covering for said connection.

2. In combination with a bearing for the support of a rotatable member,of a hub formed upon said member and received within said bearing, saidhub being provided with a longitudinal bore and a pair of. radiallydisposed openings intersecting said bore, a cylindrical extension formedupon an associated operating member having a radially disposed boreformed therein arranged normally in alignment with said. opening, aspring pressed ball within said borehaving a portion thereof extendinginto one of said openings and in yielding engagement therewith, saidball serving to connect said hub with said extension for rotationtherewith and to act as a release therefor when undue strain is impartedto one of said members,

and a groove and pin connection between the

